Old Pajero ownership, boys.
One minute you’re sitting there like a genius, planning tyres, suspension, rock sliders and all the trail goodies.
Next minute the dash lights up like Eskom just came back after Stage 6, the centre display taps out with an abnormal voltage warning, and the old goat is sitting in the garage on charge like a pensioner on life support.
Diagnosis so far: alternator is not charging, battery is leaking, oil leak is getting sorted while we’re already bleeding money, and the turbo has a bit of play in it too. Not urgent, they say. Not cheap either, obviously. Because why would it be?
She’s a 2004 Gen 3 LWB 3.2 Di-D. My first proper 4x4. It was my mom’s Pajero before she passed, so this thing is not just transport to me. It’s family history with a transfer case.
The fun mods can wait. Right now we’re in the ugly but important part of the build:
Reliability rebuild phase.
New starter.
New brakes.
Now new battery and alternator.
Oil leak next.
Turbo watching me from the corner like “don’t forget about me.”
This is not the glamorous part of 4x4 ownership. No flex shots. No mountain passes. No hero recovery photos.
Just an old Pajero demanding respect, one invoice at a time.
Still love the bloody thing.